Essential Conditions

Consistent and adequate
funding

Ongoing funding to support technology infrastructure,
personnel, digital resources and staff development

What is it?

To ensure consistent and adequate funding for a technology
initiative, administrators need to develop a strategic plan for acquiring
funding and using it to support all aspects of the program. It’s not enough to
merely purchase hardware and software. The budget should also allow for ongoing
maintenance, updates, system support and professional development to support the
implementation and use of the technology — an area that’s often overlooked
during budget planning.

Why is it important?

An insufficiently funded technology initiative will
eventually fizzle and fail. While it may be tempting to seize the latest tool or
device, strategic budgeting prompts leaders to carefully weigh all available
options and select the most cost-effective tool for achieving the program’s
goals — whether that means, for example, purchasing digital books or allowing
students to use their own devices. When leaders carefully consider costs during
the planning stage, they are in a better position to launch and sustain a robust
integration plan that meets the ISTE Standards and fully harness the power of
technology to enhance learning.

What does it look like?

Most schools or districts face tremendous budget challenges.
Moving to a standards-ready system requires vision and planning tempered by the
realities of a limited budget.

What constitutes consistent and adequate funding can vary
depending on the system. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Many districts
receive local support from their communities or seek public or private grants,
sponsorships, or public-private collaborations. Regardless of the source,
consistent and adequate funding allows leaders to maintain the technology and
infrastructure while ensuring teachers are trained to use it to its fullest
capacity for learning and teaching.

Join the movement

Based on the ISTE Essential Conditions, the Lead & Transform movement provides district superintendents, CTOs, CIOs, school leaders and other decision makers with a roadmap for planning and building a successful systemwide tech initiative.

Get a custom report

Evaluate your school or district’s progress toward technology integration with the Lead & Transform diagnostic tool. You'll get data that will help you identify where you align with the ISTE Essential Conditions and where you have room to grow.